Method and apparatus for transporting DS-X signals through a packet network

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for efficiently transporting DS-X traffic in packet form over an ATM or other packet network. Specifically, virtual connection or slot provisioning and/or cell concentration techniques are used to compact the amount of DS-X traffic broadcast between communications system devices such as the access mux and the communications switch and spare bandwidth. In provisioning, a configured DS-X loading of an end node supporting DS-X traffic is ascertained. In turn, a minimum number of virtual connections for bearing packetized DS-X traffic are established, either at communications system configuration or as needed. In concentration processing, a dynamic association between the virtual connections and the DS-X traffic is established, typically on a per frame basis. Only those digital channels entering the node within a given time frame which actually bear DS-X traffic will be assigned a slot within packet. Concentration may be augmented by provisioning to further reduce bandwidth requirements. In other disclosed aspects, permanent virtual channels or PNNI soft permanent virtual connections may be used for the virtual connections where ATM is chosen as the transport protocol.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is filed under 37 C.F.R. §1.53(b) as a continuation ofU.S. Ser. No. 09/073,658, filed May 6, 1998, which issued as U.S. Pat.No. 6,404,765 on Jun. 11, 2002.

This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.08/746,230, entitled “Architecture for Distribution Of Voice Over ATMNetworks”, filed Nov. 7, 1996 naming Greg M. Bernstein as inventor,which is incorporated herein fully by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to streaming data transmission (e.g. voice) overpacket networks, and is particularly concerned with bandwidth-efficientand reliable DS-X transmission within distributed communication systemsutilizing a packet network.

2. Description of the Related Art

Transferring streaming media, particularly voice and video, over apacket network presents challenges not faced with traditionaltime-switched systems. Traditional packet transport technologies andnetwork/application protocols, such as TCP/IP FTP, and Ethernet areoptimized for reliable data transfer, rather than the timeliness of thetransfer. While such characteristics are great for transferring a datafile or an application that will not work even if a small piece of datais corrupt or missing, connection and delivery confirmation delays makethe transmission of time-sensitive streaming media less desirable.

Switched-packet Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) does represent aconvenient standard for transmitting voice, data, and video signals atvery high speeds (25 Mbits/sec and higher) over packet networks. Theincreasing deployment of ATM-based networks, particularly on customerpremises, has created a demand to provide high quality transport,switching, and call processing of voice communications over apacket-oriented network with minimal delay. The delay must not exceedthat currently permitted for traditional centralized Private BranchExchanges (PBXs), and the voice quality must be at least as good as suchsystems to warrant upgrading distributed ATM voice services.

A known distributed PBX architecture leveraging an ATM-based network isshown in FIG. 1. This PBX architecture includes several end node devices(e.g. access multiplexors 100, communications switch 120) distributed atthe edges of a packet network transport. Access multiplexors 100 (accessmux) are coupled to the ATM network (or single switch) 180 via links 150carrying ATM cell traffic at STS-1/OC-1 speeds or higher. These muxes100 convert locally-originated, digital channels representing e.g.PCM-encoded voice/data traffic at DS-X speeds (i.e. the USplesiochronous digital hierarchy DS-0, DS-1, DS-2, DS-3, DS-4, etc. orthe European E-1, E-2, . . . , hereinafter referred to as “DS-Xtraffic”) into packets, receive and reconstruct remotely-originatedvoice/data packets back into native DS-X form, and route each to theirintended destinations. High speed link 170 (e.g. SONET STS-3c, OC-12)couples the communications switch 120 to the packet network 180. Logicalor virtual connections, known in ATM parlance as virtual channels, areestablished between the access muxes 100 and the communications switch120 within the packet network 180 to permit transfer, call processingand switching of the packetized DS-X traffic.

As with the case with traditional centralized PBX systems, synchronousAccess Devices (ADs) 110, 115 and 118 are coupled to these access muxes100 to collect voice/data information (such as a 64 Kbps DS-0 voicechannel) originating from telephony devices such as digital/analogextensions 130/132 or videophone 134, as well as T1/E1 trunks 136. Oncecollected using known time division multiplexing techniques, the ADsrelay synchronous DS-X traffic to the access mux 100 using signal lines126. Of course, ADs 110, 115, 118 are also used to distribute outgoingDS-X traffic extracted by the access mux 100 over the signal lines 126to the appropriate destination telephony device or trunk.

In order to leverage the ATM network for voice communications, eachaccess mux 100 converts DS-X traffic into ATM cells. According to theATM standard, each cell is a fixed fifty-three bytes or octets longincluding a forty-eight byte payload and a five byte header. Foroutgoing calls, each access mux 100 packs the DS-X traffic into the48-byte payload using conventional methods for multiplexing voice DS0sinto ATM virtual channels, such as T1/E1 Circuit Emulation Service (CES)based on ATM Adaptation Layer 1 (AAL 1) or other ATM adaptation layersfor carrying voice. For incoming calls, each access mux determines thedestination of the DS-X traffic encapsulated within each received cellbased in part on the virtual channel or path information contained inthe cell as well as its location within the cell payload. The access mux100 then converts the packets to the carrier format for the signalline(s) 120 corresponding to the intended destination device.

However, without further refinement, this architecture is prone to celldelay (especially where the customers packet network is complex orgeographically diverse), which can seriously degrade the quality ofservice for voice and streaming data it is slated to carry. To minimizecell-fill delay here, which can form a major component of the overallarchitecture delay, it has been proposed that each DS-0 channelserviceable by the access mux 100 contributes one byte to the ATMcell(s) and the so-filled cells are transported within a 125 μsec frame,corresponding to the well-established 8 KHz sampling rate for voice. Toreduce communication switching setup, complexity and delay, as well assimplify cell composition/decomposition logic within each access mux100, each available DS-0 is statically assigned to a unique octet slotwithin one of the cells filled and transported within the 125 μsecframe. To further simplify network complexity, along with minimizingdynamic connection setup and teardown delays associated with ATMswitched virtual channels (SVCs), permanent virtual channels (PVCs) areestablished within the packet network 180 at system configurationthrough management action to transport the DS-0 packed cells between theaccess mux 100 and the switch 120.

In applying these techniques to the architecture of FIG. 1, a number ofConstant Bit Rate (CBR) PVCs capable of bearing the simultaneous DS-0capacity of each access mux 100 is established within the packet network180. A PVC will be used to bear one ATM cell per 125 μsec frame, andcell payload will contain a byte of data from each of 48 DS-0 channelsstatically mapped into its 48 octet slots. Since the placement of theDS-0 byte within a particular PVC and octet slot identifies the DS-0connection (originating/terminating device), all cells must be broadcastwithin a given 125 μsec frame, whether or not traffic actually exists onthe connection. Typically, cell octet slots corresponding to DS-0channels not bearing activity within a given frame are stuffed withpre-established “don't care” data.

In the above-stated combination, these design choices seriously impactbandwidth efficiency. For example, if the access muxes 100 couldsimultaneously service sixteen (16) ADs, each defining thirty-two (32)DS-0 channels (which is typical for such units), a minimum of 512 DS-0channel bytes would accordingly need to be transferred every 125 μsecframe, whether or not traffic actually exists on those channels. ElevenPVCs would be required to fully transport these bytes with padding leftover, and accordingly eleven ATM cells would need to be transmittedevery frame. FIG. 3 graphically indicates the DS0 mapping required forthe 16 32 DS-0 channel ADs plotted against the payload portions of thecells 330-380 to be filled, with “X” representing 16 empty octet slotsat the end of the last cell 380 which are padded out in order tocomplete the payload. Thus, in this example, regardless of the actualDS-0 loading (meaning the number of DS-0 channels actually allocated orreserved for use) or active DS-0 traffic experienced, approximately 37.3Mbits/sec of bandwidth would be required, exclusive of any controlsignaling. In view of the fact that this represents almost a quarter ofthe available bandwidth of an STS-3c link, and that the access mux 100almost never experiences full loading (and is actually quite sparse inthe typical PBX application), this configuration appears to be anundesirable choice where the packet network 180 is not devotedexclusively for PBX transport.

Such inefficiencies are carried over and magnified at the communicationsswitch 120. According to the architecture of FIG. 1, communicationsswitch 120 will be responsible for handling switching and callmanagement responsibilities for the packetized DS-X traffic generated byand destined for each access mux 100. Assuming that each access mux 100contributes 37.3 Mbits/sec of bandwidth, the link 170 must be able tobear A*37.3 Mbits/sec, exclusive of control and management signals,where A represents the number of access muxes 100 serviced by thecommunication switch 120. Thus, link 170 must typically support amagnitude higher simultaneous bandwidth than links 150 (e.g. OC-12 vs.STS-3c), which adds to the cost and complexity to communications switch120.

Moreover, it should be realized that the enormous number of trafficbearing cells entering the communications switch 120 packed according tothe above-described techniques and criteria require commensuratelyenormous and expensive computing resources within the switch 120 ifswitching and call management responsibilities are to be completedwithin the required 125 μsec frame.

Yet another problem arises from the use of PVCS under the current ATMstandards. PVCs used to bear the packetized DS-X traffic must beestablished and maintained by the PBX-specific components (either theaccess muxes 100 or the communications switch 120), despite the limitedongoing control and management they can exert over the packet network180. This, coupled with the aforementioned static mapping criteria,makes it difficult for the PBX of FIG. 1 to recover from a lost PVCwithout dropping all connections and reinitializing.

Therefore, it would be desirable to develop an improved distributed PBXarchitecture which more efficiently utilizes available packet networkbandwidth without materially sacrificing cell delay performance. Itwould also be desirable to develop a distributed PBX architecture whichis more tolerant of connection failures within the packet network.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with these and related desires, a novel and nonobviousmethod for transporting DS-X traffic over a packet network is proposed.Specifically, according to the present invention, virtual connection orslot provisioning and/or cell concentration techniques are used tocompact the amount of DS-X traffic broadcast between communicationssystem devices such as the end node and the communications switch tospare bandwidth. In the case of provisioning, a configured DS-X loadingof an end node supporting DS-X traffic is ascertained. This configuredDS-X loading sets forth the actual loading in terms of digital channelsbeing simultaneously supported and/or number of number of access devicescoupled to and being serviced by the end node. In turn, preferably aminimum number of virtual connections for bearing packetized DS-Xtraffic are established, either at communications system configurationor as needed.

Through provisioning, only the virtual connections needed to support allthe digital channels in actual service or the DS-X capacity of allactually-serviced access devices need be established, and packetizedDS-X traffic need only flow on those so-established virtual connections.By contrast, conventional virtual connection establishment methods teachthat the full capacity of the end node define how many virtualconnections to establish and maintain. Thus, through provisioningaccording to the present invention, bandwidth is spared where theconfigured capacity of the end node is less than its full capacity suchthat less total virtual connections are needed to bear the DS-X traffic,even where static slot mapping is utilized.

Compaction of the DS-X traffic bearing cells themselves may beaccomplished through concentration processing according to the presentinvention. In such concentration processing, a dynamic associationbetween the virtual connections and the DS-X traffic is established,typically on a per frame basis. According to this invention, only thosedigital channels entering the node within a given time frame whichactually bear DS-X traffic will be assigned a slot within packet. A DS-Xtraffic-packet correspondence, such as a slot map, may be compiled andupdated as necessary based on the active DS-0 channels within the givenframe, and appropriate slot assignment data, such as the updated slotmap or any changed assignment data may be exchanged betweencommunication system devices in order to properly compose and decomposethe DS-traffic packed in the packets and preserve intended channelconnections therebetween.

According to the present invention, concentration processing may beaugmented by provision processing to further reduce bandwidthrequirements for transporting the packetized DS-X traffic.

In other aspects of the present invention, permanent virtual channels orsoft permanent virtual connections established through PrivateNetwork-Network Interface management and signalling may be used for thevirtual connections where ATM is chosen as the transport protocol. Softpermanent virtual connections are seen as being especially advantageoussince their ongoing management and re-routing is performed by the ATMpacket network being leveraged by the communications system, rather thanthe communications system or its components itself.

Also, the present invention contemplates an end node apparatusincorporating these provisioning, concentration processing, and/orvirtual connection establishment features to reduce the bandwidthrequirements of packetized DS-X traffic flowing into or out of the node.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparentto those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the followingdescription of the specific preferred embodiments of the invention inconjunction with the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features of the invention, as well as the invention itself may bebest understood with reference to the following drawings, in which likenumbers indicate like parts, to which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a known distributed PBX architectureutilizing a packet network transport;

FIG. 2 is a more detailed block diagram of an access multiplexoraccording to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates conventional DS0 mapping into ATMcells;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart detailing provisioning logic processing accordingto the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart detailing concentration logic processing accordingto the first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6A diagrammatically illustrates an example of DS0 mapping after“PVC-AD” provisioning according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6B diagrammatically illustrates an example of DS0 mapping after“supported-DS0” provisioning according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 7 diagrammatically illustrates an example of DS0 mapping afterconcentration according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred implementationsand embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated inthe accompanying drawings. Wherever appropriate, the same referencenumbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same orlike parts.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an access multiplexor or mux 200 consistentwith a first embodiment of the present invention. Access mux 200 can beconveniently implemented in the distributed PBX architecture of FIG. 1in place of conventional access mux 100. Like access mux 100, access mux200 includes processor 260 controlled DS-X to ATM conversion circuit210. As shown herein, DS-X to ATM conversion circuit 210 includes DS-Xinterfacing circuit 220 for receiving and transmitting DS-X traffic toand from the ADs 110, 115, 118, a packet engine 230 for composingoutgoing ATM cells bearing multiplexed DS0 channels and for decomposingincoming ATM cells into DS0 channels according to a pre-established ornegotiated multiplexing format to be discussed in greater detailhereinbelow in connection with provisioning and concentrationlogic/processing according to the present embodiment. Also, DS-X to ATMconversion circuit 210 includes ATM physical interfacing circuit 240 foroperatively coupling to packet network 180 (FIG. 1) and communicationsswitch 120 over ATM link 150 and the aforementioned virtual connections(herein virtual channels, but not exclusively permanent virtualchannels, as will be discussed in more detail hereinbelow). Thisphysical interfacing circuit 240 issues outgoing ATM cells composed bythe packet engine 230 preferably according to 125 μsec framingconstraints and intercepting incoming ATM cells specifying virtualchannels terminating at the access mux 200 end node.

As shown in FIG. 2, Processor 260 is coupled to at least the packetengine 230 and DS-X interfacing circuit 220 to control the DS-X to ATMcell conversion process as well as assist in implementing provisioning,concentration, and PNNI soft-PVC connection management methods accordingto the present embodiment, as will be discussed in greater detailhereinbelow. Access mux 200 will include logic for implementingprovisioning, concentration and soft-PVC connection management accordingto the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodimentthis logic will take the form of computer-readable program codestatements stored in memory 250 (provisioning logic 252, concentrationlogic 254, PNNI logic 258) which cause the access mux 200 to performprovisioning, concentration, and/or PNNI connection establishingprocessing according to the present embodiment when such statements areexecuted by the processor 260. As such, processor 260 here is a generalpurpose information processor (such as a microprocessor) or a specialpurpose controller (such as a microcontroller) which has sufficientcomputing resources to at least sequentially execute these program codestatements.

Though not shown in FIG. 2, provisioning logic 252, concentration logic254, and PNNI logic 258 may alternatively reside as program codestatements anywhere within the distributed PBX architecture (includingpacket network 180) as long as they remain accessible to and readable bythe processor 260. Alternatively, provisioning logic 252, concentrationlogic 254, and PNNI logic 258 can also be implemented by the preparationof application-specific integrated circuits or by interconnecting anappropriate network of conventional components, devices and circuits, aswill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

Provisioning methods according to the present invention will now bediscussed with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 4.

Provisioning generally relates to establishing virtual connections,including virtual channels and permanent virtual channels, across thecustomer's packet network 180 which are required to support the currentDS-X loading of the access mux 200 which can be ascertained, forexample, through determining the number of access devices or the numberof simultaneous DS-0s being serviced by the access mux 200 at any giventime. By contrast, the conventional approach has been to tailor PVCallocation to the worst case fully loaded environment (assuming activeDS-X traffic on every possible DS-0 channel the access mux can handle).This is, of course, rarely the operational case for such distributedcommunication systems.

According to the present invention, two specific provisioning methodsare utilized. In the first method, a PVC is established for each accessdevice coupled to the access mux 200. PVCs will only be established asaccess devices are added. Also, PVCs will be relinquished when accessdevices are to be no longer serviced by the access mux 200. Preferably,though not required, a PVC to single access device correspondence isused to simplify identification of a changed DS-X loading therefor,Since most conventional access devices have a DS-X capacity which doesnot exceed 48 DS-0 channels, this will typically be a single.Accordingly, this will be referred to as virtual connection per accessdevice provisioning.

An alternative provisioning method establishes virtual connections basedon the number of simultaneous DS-0 channels supported by the access muxas determined typically at initialization. As will be discussed in moredetail hereinbelow, this provisioning method is more bandwidth sparing(requires less virtual connections) than in the virtual connection to ADprovisioning, since only one VC will transmit end-padding as in theconventional case. But it comes at the expense of a more complicatedconfiguration, and so for this embodiment is performed only at systeminitialization. This type of provisioning will be hereinafter referredto as supported DS-0 provisioning.

Consider the following example. As before, assume the access mux 200 hasa capacity of handling 16 simultaneous access devices, each supporting32 simultaneous DS-0 channels. Further assume, that despite thiscapacity only four access devices are in fact coupled to the access muxand available for use. Using virtual connection per AD provisioningaccording to the present embodiment, four virtual channels would beestablished within the customers packet network 180 (one virtual channelper access device). Since the number of simultaneous DS-0 channelssupported by each access device is typically less than the maximum 48DS-0 that can be placed in the single cell payload borne by eachestablished virtual channel, padding is used to fill out the cell as isknown in the art. Thus, the mapping in FIG. 6A is realized, showing fourvirtual channels 600, 610, 620 and 630 each mapping the DS0 channels forsingle access device AD1 through AD4 respectively and with octet paddingdenoted by X and using the well-known first available cell fill pattern.

In this example, only four ATM cells are needed per 125 microsecondframe to carry all the DS-X traffic in the current configuration so only13.6 megabits per second of bandwidth need be utilized. In theconventional case, as discussed hereinabove, 11 virtual channels and37.3 Mbits/sec would be needed to map the same DS-X loading.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6B, if supported DS0 provisioningaccording to the present embodiment is utilized, only three virtualchannels need be established if each access device supports a maximum 32simultaneous DS-0s.

FIG. 4 illustrates provisioning logic processing carried out by theaccess mux end node 200 of the present embodiment. Control begins atstep 400, and thereafter passes to step S410 in which it is determinedwhether the access mux 200 is at system initialization. Thisdetermination is used to separate out whether ongoing provisioning canbe used once the initial virtual channel configuration has occurred. Asdiscussed above, virtual connection per AD provisioning convenientlypermits ongoing provisioning as access devices are added to or movedfrom the access mux 200. However, supported DS-0 provisioning isperformed only once in this embodiment during system initialization.Thus, in step S410, it is determined that we are not at systeminitialization, control passes to step S420 in which the determinationis made whether virtual connection per AD provisioning is utilized. Ifnot, on-the-fly provisioning is not available, so control passes to stepS470 and provisioning terminates naturally. If however, in step S420 adetermination is made that virtual connection per AD provisioning is tobe utilized, control instead passes to step S445 in which adetermination is made whether access devices are no longer be serviced(or placed out of service by the distributed communications system) Ifso, control passes to step S450 in which the access mux 200 directs thepacket network to relinquish the virtual channel servicing the accessdevice(s) being dropped using known ATM management action techniques.Thereafter, control passes to step S470 and provisioning processingaccording to the present embodiment terminates naturally.

However, in step S445, additional ADs are determined to be serviced,control instead passes to step S455 in which new VCs are establishedcorresponding to the ADs being added to the system. Control thereafterterminates naturally at step S470.

Still referring to FIG. 4, if in step S410 it is determined that thecommunications system is still undergoing system initialization, controlinstead passes to step S430 in which the access mux 200 detects thenumber of access devices it is to support and the configured DS-Xloading on each access device using known techniques (e.g., throughretrieving access device “I'm alive” configuration information detectedby DS-X interface circuit 220 (FIG. 2)). Once the configured DS-Xloading has been retrieved, control passes to step S440 in which adetermination is made whether virtual channel per access deviceprovisioning according to the present embodiment is to be utilized. Ifso, control passes to step S460 in which virtual channels are based onthe number of access devices being serviced as discussed above. Controlthereafter provisioning and processing terminates naturally at stepS470.

If, however, in step S440 it is determined that virtual connection perAD provisioning is not to be utilized, meaning that supported DS-0provisioning will instead be utilized, control instead passes to stepS465 in which VCs are established based on the number total number ofDS0s being supported. Control thereafter terminates naturally at stepS470.

In an alternative embodiment, ongoing provisioning using theaforementioned supported DS-0 provisioning may be utilized. In suchcase, a determination would made whether the net number of the DS-0channels after the change exceeds the capacity of the establishedvirtual channels using first available fill, single octet per DS0channel mapping, or if the net number of DS-0 channels being servicedresults in a lower net number of virtual channels required to bear thesupported DS-0 channels.

Concentration methods according to the present embodiment will now bediscussed with reference to FIGS. 5 and 7. Concentration processingallows even more densely packed ATM cells to be transmitted since onlyDS-0 channels bearing traffic within the 125 microsecond frame would bemapped into the virtual channel cell. Of course, doing so requiresdynamic association of VCs into DS-0 channels and therefore a slot mapor channel identification signalling similar to that specified inRecommendation Q.931 of the ITU-T ISDN Digital subscriber SignallingSystem No. 1, Network layer, user-network management (i.e. the “ISDNBlue Book”), which is incorporated herein fully by reference. In thisembodiment, channel assignment data, including channel (slot) mappingfor every transmitted cell, a number of changed cells or only changedslot assignments will preferably use a control virtual channel betweenthe access mux 200 and the communication switch 120 separate and apartfrom the DS-X traffic bearing virtual channel(s), or can be imbedded ina portion of the DS-X traffic bearing channels themselves at the expenseof bandwidth (since six octets would be required to map each cell inexpanded form). Otherwise, the communication switch 120 will not knowhow to treat and switch the incoming DS-0 channels or know whatconnections they represent. Even with concentration processing, firstavailable cell fill, 125 μsec framing and single DS-0 byte slotstechniques are preserved.

Concentration processing according to the present embodiment may be bestunderstood by considering the following example. Again considering thecase where only four 32 channel access devices are being serviced byaccess mux 200, at most 4 PVCs would be required to relay the DS0connection as shown in FIG. 6A when provisioning according to thepresent embodiment is used. In this case, further assume that thetraffic within a given 125 microsecond frame, access device AD₁ 110(FIG. 1) only bears 5 active DS-0 channels, AD₂ 115 experiences trafficon all 32 DS-0 channels, AD₃ (not shown) bears traffic only on 6channels and AD₄ (not shown) has no traffic despite its 32 channelcapacity. Thus, from the context of the given time slice, only fiveoctets of a virtual channel are needed to bare the DS-0 channels forAD₁, 32 octets are required to transport the 32 active DS-0 channels onaccess device AD₂ and AD₃ requires only 6 octets of a virtual channelcell. AD₄, of course, requires no octets within the given time slice.

The consequence of concentration processing, this example is shown withreference to FIG. 7. VC1 is capable of bearing the actual DS0 trafficencountered by the access mux 200 at the given timeslice. Remainingvirtual channels need not be established, or, in the case of permanentvirtual channels, while persisting do not bear any traffic therebypotentially freeing up bandwidth to competing traffic.

A more detailed description of concentration processing according to thepresent embodiment will now be discussed with reference to FIG. 5.Preferably this processing occurs once per frame.

Control begins at step S500 and passes to step S505, in which, for eachframe, incoming ATM DS-X cells borne by the established virtualchannel(s) are received and latched into the ATM physical interface 240of access mux 200. Also, at this step, outbound DS-X traffic originatingfrom the access devices 110, 115, 118 serviced by the access mux 200 arecollected at the DS-X interface 220. Thereafter control passes to step510 in which a determination is made whether slot map changes arenecessary. As mentioned previously, the slot map 256 (FIG. 2) keeps arunning DS-0 channel or connection to VC cell slot mapping so the accessmux 200 can properly compose and decompose outbound and inbound ATMcells bearing DS-X traffic. As shown in FIG. 2, the slot map 256 ispreferably locally contained in mux memory 250. A mirror of this slotmap 256 is preferably made accessible to the communications switch 120so it can track the slot assignments for this access mux 200 andcomplete switching responsibilities therefor. It should also be notedthat the communications switch 120 includes a mirror slot map for eachaccess device 100, 200 it is servicing.

Turning back to FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the slot changedetermination required in step 510 is implemented by comparing theoutbound DS-X traffic to the existing slot map 256 as well as queryingany perceived slot assignment data, including changed assignment data,received from the communications switch 120 via a control VC cell, amessage embedded in one or more of the DS-X bearing VC cells, or othercontrol signaling protocols and formatting techniques known in the art.If, in step 510 a determination is made that slot map changes haveoccurred, control passes to step 515. At step 515, a determination ismade whether there are a sufficient number of available slots to supportall outbound DS-X traffic. This assumes a design limitation that afinite number of slots are available at any given time since only afinite number of VCs have been established or reserved, either throughprovisioning or conventional configuration techniques. It should berealized that slot sufficiency is only an issue with respect to outboundDS-X traffic (namely, DS-X traffic originating in the access devices110,115, 118 entering the access mux 200 via signal lines 126 (FIG. 2.)since the communications switch 120, having knowledge of the slot mapfor access mux 200, would not overload the established capacity betweenit and the access mux 200.

If, in step 515, it is determined that sufficient slots are available tohandle the outbound DS-X traffic, control passes to step 525 in whichthe slot map is updated to show the new slot reservations selectedpreferably using the first available fill allocation technique. Controlthereafter passes to step 540 in which slot assignment data (herein,either changed assignment data or an updated slot map) is compiled basedon the updates made in step 525, and such data is relayed to thecommunications switch 120. Control thereafter passes to step S520 asshown in FIG. 5.

If, however, in step 515, it is determined that sufficient VC cell slotsare not available to handle all of the outbound DS-X traffic received bythe DS-X interface 220 of the access mux 200, control instead passes tostep 530, in which all the available slots are allocated using DS-Xpriority or similar known blocking technique and the access mux 200issues a busy signal over the remaining (not allocated) DS-X trafficlines. Control thereafter passes to step 540, in which slot assignmentdata indicating a full established VC capacity is compiled and relayedto the communications switch 120. Thereafter, control passes to step 520detailed hereinbelow.

If, however, in step 510 it is determined that no slot map changes arerequired, control instead falls through to step 520.

At step 520, the processor 260 directs the packet engine 230 to pack theoutbound DS-X traffic into established VC cells according to the slotmap 256. Thereafter, control passes to step 535, in which inbound DS-Xtraffic packed within the payload of the ATM VC cells received andlatched by the ATM physical I/F 240 is unpacked according to the slotmap 256. Control thereafter passes to step 550, in which a determinationis made whether virtual channel per access device provisioning(discussed hereinabove) is utilized in conjunction with concentrationprocessing according to the present embodiment. If so, control passes tostep 555, in which the quantity of access devices is determined to havebeen changed, and if so, update the slot map (560) and upload slotassignment data signifying the loss or gain of VC(s) to thecommunication switch 120 (565). Thereafter, control passes to step 570,and concentration processing according to the present embodiment for agiven frame terminates naturally.

If, however, in step 550 it is determined that virtual channel peraccess device provisioning is not being utilized, or in step 555 it isdetermined that the number of access devices being simultaneouslyserviced by the access mux has not changed, control instead passes tostep 570 without the need to update the slot map (560) or issue the slotassignment data to the communications switch (565).

To increase the reliability and robustness of DS-X transport through thepacket network 180, permanent or switched virtual channels establishedbetween the communications switch and the access mux 200 may be replacedby soft-permanent virtual connections (soft PVCs) where possible asestablished by known Private Network to Network Interface (PNNI)signalling techniques and PNNI management of packet network 180. Thisassumes, of course, that packet network 180 is PNNI compatible, meaningthat it conforms to and implements the recommendations set forth in theATM Forum's PNNI Specification 1.0 (March 1996), including Annex Cthereof pertaining to soft permanent virtual connection procedures,which is incorporated herein fully by reference.

If soft PVCs are to be utilized with or without concentration and/orprovisioning processing according to the present embodiment, thecommunications switch 120 and access muxes 200 may retain permanent orswitched virtual channels between edge switches (not shown) withinpacket network 180 they are connected to via links 170 and 150respectively. These PBX components, particularly access mux 200, willthen direct one or both of these edge switches to establish acorresponding number of soft PVCs to bear the DS-X traffic therebetweenwithin the packet network 180 using procedures set forth in Annex C ofthe PNNI specification.

The advantage of using soft-PVCs here is that once the soft-PVCs areestablished using these PNNI techniques, management of the virtualconnections by PBX devices terminates at these edge switches, and thepacket network 180 manages the soft PVC connections and reroutes themindependently of PBX device action (such as when a switched virtualconnection is lost). This greatly simplifies configuration as well asongoing management of virtual connections by the PBX devices,particularly as compared to true permanent virtual channel establishmentand maintenance heretofore utilized in the art.

In the above-described embodiments, ATM was assumed to be the transportprotocol for communications between the PBX devices over the packetnetwork 180. However, the teachings of the present invention are notbelieved to be limited to such a transport environment, and in factthese teachings can be expanded to any type of packet network (such asan IP network) capable of bearing multiplexed DS-X traffic in eitherstatic or dynamically-sized packets, particularly if one or more virtualconnections (or an appropriate connection analogue) is used to bear thepacketized traffic therein.

While the invention is described above in terms of specific preferredembodiments and associated drawings, those of ordinary skill in the artwill recognize that the invention can be practiced in other embodimentsas well. It is felt therefore that the invention should not be limitedto the disclosed embodiments, but rather should be limited only by thespirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for transporting DS-X traffic within adistributed communications system leveraging a packet network, thecommunications system including an end node coupled to the packetnetwork, the method comprising: determining a configured DS-X loading ofthe end node; establishing at least one virtual connection within thepacket network based on the DS-X loading; mapping the DS-X trafficentering the end node into packet data; and transferring the packet datathrough the at least one virtual connection.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein: the DS-X loading includes a quantity of access devices servicedby the end node; and wherein said establishing comprises establishing avirtual connection within the packet network for each access deviceserviced by the end node.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:determining whether the quantity of access devices serviced by the endnode has changed; relinquishing an established virtual connectioncorresponding to each access device no longer being serviced by the endnode if the quantity of access devices serviced by the end node isdetermined to have been reduced; and establishing a new virtualconnection within the packet network for each newly serviced accessdevice if the quantity of access devices serviced by the end node isdetermined to have been increased.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein:the DS-X loading includes a quantity of DSO channels beingsimultaneously serviced by the end node; and wherein said establishingcomprises establishing at least one virtual connection within the packetnetwork based on the quantity of simultaneously serviced DSO channels.5. In a distributed communications system leveraging a packet networkbearing packets having a uniformly sized payload, an apparatus formultiplexing DS-X traffic into the packets, comprising: a processoradapted to determine active DS-X traffic entering a communicationssystem node at a given unit time; a processor adapted to develop aDS-X-packet correspondence based on the active DS-X traffic, theDS-X-packet correspondence defining a minimum number of the packets tobear the active DS-X traffic; and a processor adapted to map the activeDS-X traffic into the payload of at least one of the packets accordingto the DS-X-packet correspondence.
 6. Logic embodied on at least onecomputer readable medium and operable when executed to: determine activeDS-X traffic entering a communications system node; develop aDS-X-packet correspondence based on the active DS-X traffic, theDS-X-packet correspondence defining a minimum number of packets to bearthe active DS-X traffic; and map the active DS-X traffic into a payloadof at least one of the packets according to the DS-X-packetcorrespondence.
 7. Logic embodied on at least one computer readablemedium and operable when executed to: determine a DS-X loading of acommunications system node; establish at least one virtual connectionwithin a packet network based on the DS-X loading; map DS-X trafficentering the node into packet data; and transfer the packet data throughthe at least one virtual connection.
 8. An apparatus, comprising: aconverter operable to convert DS-0 traffic into packet traffic and toconvert packet traffic into DS-0 traffic; a processor operable tocontrol the converter; and a memory operable to store logic executed bythe processor, the logic operable when executed to determine a DS-Xloading of the apparatus, establish at least one virtual connectionwithin a packet network based on the DS-X loading, and identifying amapping of the DS-X traffic entering the apparatus into packets of data,the conversion circuit operable to use the mapping to convert the DS-0traffic into the packet traffic and to convert the packet traffic intothe DS-0 traffic.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the conversioncircuit comprises: a DS-X interface operable to transmit and receive theDS-0 traffic; an ATM interface operable to transmit and receive thepacket traffic; and a packet engine operable to packetize the DS-0traffic into ATM cells and to depacketize ATM cells into the DS-0traffic.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is operableto determine the DS-X loading by identifying a quantity of accessdevices serviced by the apparatus; and the processor is operable toestablish the at least one virtual connection by establishing virtualconnection within the packet network for each access device serviced bythe apparatus.
 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor isoperable to determine the DS-X loading by identifying a quantity of DS-0channels being serviced by the apparatus; and the processor is operableto establish the at least one virtual connection by establishing atleast one virtual connection within the packet network based on thequantity of simultaneously serviced DS-0 channels.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein the processor is operable to map the DS-X trafficentering the apparatus into packets of data by: developing a DS-X-packetcorrespondence based on the DS-X loading, the DS-X-packet correspondencedefining a minimum number of packets to bear the DS-X traffic; andmapping the DS-X traffic into a payload of at least one of the packetsaccording to the DS-X-packet correspondence.
 13. The apparatus of claim8, wherein the processor is operable to establish the at least onevirtual connection by establishing at least one soft permanent virtualcircuit within the packet network using private network to network(PNNI) signaling.